Consumer crazy New Yorkers went bonkers yesterday as they were among the first to grab a taste of the future, after Apple’s SoHo store drew curtains on the just-released iPad 2.
It was Americans doing what Americans do best: shopping, chanting, racking up debt and queuing for something. This writer can honestly say he’s never been to a shop where 100 staff members were cheering in unison and willing him into spending hard cash. But he’d sure as hell like to.
Buyers camped and negotiated, while one lunatic even traveled across the Atlantic ocean. A Frenchman by the name of Fred flew from France to New York to make the purchase and was the first out the door, waving his iPad 2 above his head in a similar fashion to the recently liberated Egyptians. ‘I waited 17 hours outside the store,’ said Fred. ‘Now I’m off to catch an 8pm flight back to France.’ He must make some woman very happy.
It turns out everyone has their price – including people in line to buy the iPad 2. College student Amanda Foote battled the elements, retaining the poll position for two nights, only before scalping her patch of bitumen for a cool $900. That’s profit. Foote told the media that she plans on using some of the money to purchase a Lady Gaga ticket – a dark moment in an otherwise unblemished day for Apple.
The iPad 2 will hit Australian shores on March 25th.